11 April 2008

Only tangentially relevant to the subject of this blog, and and at the risk of alienating some readers, I am posting a link to this confrontational interview of Roman Catholic Priest Pfelger, with a Bill O'Reilly staffer. I found I was ruminating about it 24hrs after I had seen it. Maybe because I had never heard a white Catholic defend Farrakhan before? Maybe because he is so passionate about his forgotten urban parishoners?

The man has taken a formerly Irish Catholic Parish that was dying and turned it into the most successful black parish in the archdiocese. Amazingly he has done it in a neighborhood that is not middle class and that has serious social problems. If he had taken a parish in a middle class black neighborhood and made it successful it would have been amazing enough, but he did it in what is best described as ghetto. ....(He) preaches self reliance, personal responsibility, and helping your fellow man.

In Cincinnati, the remaining urban parishes are typically subsidized by the diocese, but in Chicago, St. Sabina is self-sufficient. I can't help but think that if the Archdiocese of Cincinnati had more priests like this, they might be more successful in the inner-city, and perhaps wouldn't have sold or demolished so many old churches for lack of attendance.

"In 1981, he became the proud adoptive father of an eight-year-old son, Lamar, who is employed with Continental Airlines. In 1992 he also became the adoptive father of Beronti, who is presently a student at University of Central Florida. In 1997, he became a foster father to Jarvis Franklin, who was tragically killed as a result of gang crossfire, May 30,1998.

Since 1968, Father Pfleger has lived and ministered in the African-American community on both the west and south sides of Chicago. He spent two summers working in a Native American community in Oklahoma, and did his seminary internship as a chaplain at Cook County Jail and at Precious Blood Catholic Church, both in Chicago."

Amen. I say, amen. I'm shocked they allowed him to speak for so long. He's right--the times are such that if you disagree with the policies or paths that America is taking you automatically are labeled "anti-American."I'm waiting for the vintage bumper stickers to come out that declare "America-Love It Or Leave It." When you look back at the Revolutionary War though and the minority of colonists supporting independence it's clear how difficult it is to think differently than the masses. Thank God they did. AnnieH

Sorry, but my dad worked every day of his life from the age of 5, 40 years of which were spent in the same factory. I'm not giving back anything my dad gave to me, because what my father left me with was not money, but a sense of responsibility, and a work ethic to allow me to succeed. That's what the black community had 40+ years ago, but has lost since then.

Oh, and by the way, Obama is toast. The dems will nominate just about the only person who has no chance against the republicans.